Candide, Chapter 1-6

Reading Candide, at first seems like a hard task, but when 'shown' how to do so it is an amazing book. Basically as a reader one can notice that Voltaire is trying to make a fool out of society and he accomplishes in a very 'decent' way if it can be called that. We learn that Candide is a young boy who lives at a Baron's estate and that he has been conceived by the Baron's sister and a peasent or servant of the Baron. This is really interesting because Voltaire uses certain words to describe this, when actually he's just trying to say that Candide is a bastard. The young boy falls in love with the Baron's daughter and is thrown out of the estate. We later on find out that Candide is recluted by the Bulgars and is sent into war against the Abar, who he later finds out 'killed' his loved one (Lady Cunégonde) or at least that is what Pangloss tells him. We later find out that Lady Cunégonde isn't really dead and reunites with Candide, her family is assasined, so in a way Candide is free to do whatever he wants with her. Reading this book is really interesting because you learn how laugh at what seems to be a common phrase, but when looked into closely has a double meaning so profound that it's impossible not be shocked. Candide is a book that really makes you look at each sentence and say "what is Voltaire actually trying to say?"

Making a connection to this book was really simple. The Simpsons could be used, but since we did that one in class i've decided to use Family Guy. This show uses satire amongst many other ways of comedy. In Family Guy you see how the writer of the scripts is always looking at movies or series and makes really harsh comments about them. For example, the other day they made a whole episode about Star Wars and the critique was really shocking. There is a part where Peter (Han Solo), Brian (Chewbaka) and Chris (Luke Skywalker) are saving Meg (Princess Leia) from Stewie's (Darth Vader) grasp and while doing so their ship falls under attack by the robots, everyone runs into the ship except for Peter and Brian who are stealing a couch and can't fit it in so Peter tells Brian to start the ship because they can't leave without the couch. There making critique to the movie here because Han Solo and Chewbaka who are heroes in the movie, are being called theifs by the directer or creater of Family Guy (who is the creator of The Simpsons). This is the connection I made, because underneath all those clips or phrases which make you laugh like an idiot there is a deep message which if not thought of correctly, it is simple not understood.